Learn to Love You by Jade Hernández

Author:Jade Hernández [Jade Hernández]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aleera Anaya Ceres/Jade Hernández
Published: 2023-06-14T00:00:00+00:00

With my bare feet tucked under me, I leaned against the arm of the couch, wearing nothing more than Junior’s t-shirt. It barely covered past my waist, but I’d tossed the idea of modesty out hours ago.

After he’d cleaned me up, wiping a damp cloth along my back, every gentle swipe cleaning his release from my skin. When he finished, he’d turned me to my back, leaning over me on his elbows, a smile touching his full lips. I found myself mimicking the gesture with full force. It felt like it had been such a long time since I’d been truly happy. This moment had me floating towards the sky.

“Hola,” he whispered, sounding as in awe of the situation as I felt.

I giggled. “Hey.”

“Do you want something to drink?”

I’d agreed, slipping on a shirt from his closet while he covered himself with a pair of boxer shorts.

It was how we found ourselves currently in his living room, sipping bubbly cider face to face on the couch.

I took a sip and placed the cup down on the coffee table.

“What really made you want to be a counselor?” he asked, leaning his cheek against his palm.

The answer came easily. “My mom.”

The silence pressed between us and Junior’s hand lowered. “If you don’t want to talk about it…”

“No, it’s okay. It’s the truth. Everyone always asked me that question, but I never really answered honestly before. I didn’t want anyone to think less of me because of her.”

“They wouldn’t.”

I gave him a rueful sort of smile. “Some people did back then. But my mom wasn’t always like… what she is now. It’s been so long though that I can’t picture her as anything else anymore. When it came time to fill out applications, I’d already known that I didn’t want other kids to live like I did.” I lowered my hand, thinking about all the kids who followed in their parents’ footsteps, who grew up to be what they swore they never would. “I always wondered if I had someone to talk to, what would have happened. Would they have helped my mom get sober? Would they have shipped me off so they didn’t have to deal with me?”

“My mamá would have adopted you,” Junior said, with such surety it warmed my heart. “She would have torn down the entire government with her bare hands to get you to us. You have to believe that we’ve always cared about you.”

“I know that now.” I played with the hem of his t-shirt. “Back then I just felt like a burden.”

Junior put aside his drink to come closer. He took the other side of me on the couch and pulled me close. I fell against him, my legs opening so I straddled his lap. His hands didn’t stray above or below my waist, though. He kept them firmly gripped, trailing comforting circles against my body.

“Nunca,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. “You were never that.”

My fingers teased the buttons of his collar shirt, but I didn’t dare undo them.

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